Making a ramrod for a muzzleloader

vinver

vinver

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Enfield, NS
Just picked up my first black powder muzzleloader, a Thompson Center Seneca percussion. Only to find the ramrod is missing the back end, leaving it a bit short. Not to mention no adaptor for cleaning jag, etc. to thread into the end. So I figure it should be fairly easy to make up what I need, but need suggestions on the shaft material- what kind of wood, or use a carbon, fibreglass or aluminum shaft (Arrow shaft?). I may make up a tip for the wooden one and just keep it as a decoration or emergency use.
Thoughts, tips or advice? Sure I could just buy one, but where's the fun in that?
Vince
 
I just picked up a new TC folding ramrod at Gagnon Sports for $30. I have a CVA rifle and bought the TC rod because of it's folding T-handle and solid aluminum construction, it will be a much more durable range rod. The end of the rod is threaded for jags/brushes and profiled for pointed sabots. I think $30 was well spent.
 
First thing is to check for the diameter you can use - probably 3/8". You have a number of choices: wood, fiberglas, aluminum, brass and flexible delrin are the most common. Aluminum and brass differ primarily in weight and cost so if you want to add weight and can bear the cost, use brass. You will need help from someone with a lathe to drill a hole into each end and thread it for your attachments which will be either 8 -32 or 10-32 machine screw thread. If starting from scratch I would buy only 10-32 thread attachments but either will work. I like fibreglas and buy 3/8" fibreglass poles used for electric fences: they are 5' long and cost about $4 each. Unfortunately they are usually orange or white although Can Tire and Princess Auto sell yellow ones for driveway markers: good for range rods because they are hard to lose. Fit a 3/8" brass adapter to each end at a cost of about $3 each. Some gunshops carry them but any M/L supply like TOTW will have them. Epoxy them on then secure with a cross pin. You can buy wooden dowels at Can Tire or any hardware store. Look for Ramin rather than birch because the way birch fractures, it creates sharp splinters that can go right into your hand. Hickory dowel is traditional and available from some m/l suppliers but is not easy to find. Fit the ends as per a fibreglas rod. Note that the fibreglas rod is a few thousands of an inch larger then 3/8" so make sure it will fit into your gun if you go that route
 
"...carbon, fibreglass or aluminum shaft..." Not strong enough. Al arrows are hollow and will bend easily, as well. I'd be thinking any hard wood dowel of a suitable diameter. If you didn't get it, you'll need a ball starter too.
 
Drop by your local sporting goods store. Often they have a barrel with arrow shaft "rejects" for next to nothing in various materials. They will often be already threaded for the 8-32 thread typical for jags, brushes etc.
 
Canadian_Zuk said:
He's shooting a modern Thompson inline, I doubt he will be shooting patched round balls. Myself and everyone I know has no issue starting a sabot down the bore with nothing more than our thumbs.
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This Seneca is an older model, .45 cal traditional Hawken style, percussion cap. Most likely will only be shooting patched round balls in it. The ramrod is less than 3/8 diameter, only about 5/16 inch so it will need to be strong since it is smaller diameter. Yes, still need to get a starter and patches so may source ramrod stock from a supplier. I considered the threaded arrow shaft, but read that the threaded inserts have a light glue in some cases as they are designed for one way "push" instead of "pull" use, but considering the force required to pull an arrow out of a target or such, I can't see the threaded part pulling out being an issue. Thanks for all the advice and tips.
 
vinver said:
This Seneca is an older model, .45 cal traditional Hawken style, percussion cap. Most likely will only be shooting patched round balls in it. The ramrod is less than 3/8 diameter, only about 5/16 inch so it will need to be strong since it is smaller diameter. Yes, still need to get a starter and patches so may source ramrod stock from a supplier. I considered the threaded arrow shaft, but read that the threaded inserts have a light glue in some cases as they are designed for one way "push" instead of "pull" use, but considering the force required to pull an arrow out of a target or such, I can't see the threaded part pulling out being an issue. Thanks for all the advice and tips.
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If you ever "dry-ball" that is load a ball without powder and have to pull it out with a ball puller attachment, you will be very happy to have a solid, strong ramrod. This is the voice of experience...
 
GREETINGS- My choice would be to use a brass rod in 5/16 or 3/8" -buy a piece 36" long cut to 28" and use the cutoff piece to make a short starter. The 28" gets 3/8 x 18 thread on 1 end and grind concave with your Dremel on the other end. I select a piece of antler beam with the right shape- drill and tap a hole and epoxy/weld bond things together. It's a little heavy but I never have a problem seating my ball. Leave the original in it's socket for decoration. I have a separate rod made up for pulling a ball and have a small slide hammer on it as a pursuader.
 
Google Hillfolk Musket Supplies and speak to Becky Middleton. Hardwood ramrod blanks are $3.50 each and the synthetic rods are under $30. I just ordered 4 rods from her. Unbelievable service. :)
 
All fine advice, I have both brass ramrod & steel range rod (made both). To concave the end of both, I set it in the vice, heated it up, put a nut over the end, & peened it a few times. Worked for me. Brass ramrod is too heavy for my tastes, to leave in the rifle. It is going to become a cleaning rod or a range rod (less concern over protecting the bore).

To center drill the brass rod (one end is peened, the other center drilled), I drilled out a piece of bar stock with the tap drill size & then drilled the shaft size. After a bit of practice, I found I had the center. Used a drill press to get the center drill hole started but found to get deep enough without breaking a bit, a hand drill seems to be the order of the day (I've been making cleaning rods lately so practicing this a bit).

If you go with hardwood and don't have a range rod, then as noted in another post above, in the event you need to pull a ball (sometimes the powder in the drum trick doesn't cut it) - OR - even if you are cutting patches, I've found the patching can capture the end of the ramrod when seating the ball & yank an end off if not properly secured. So CROSSPIN your ramrod ends if using hardwood.

Good luck
 
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NorthCoast made an important point: always cross-pin any ramrod tip attachment so you can't lose it in the barrel. Personally I like a nice wooden ramrod for show but have a black fiberglass duplicate that goes in the rifle for hunting and trailwalk competitions. The latter may not be traditional but I'd bet that Davy Crockett would have had one if they had been available. For range shooting I have an orange 3/8" fiberglass rod ( electric fence post) with 5" antler T handle and captured brass muzzle protector - it can handle any abuse... One of the things I like best about m/l shooting is the variety of low-tech accessories that a DIY guy can make for hisself.
 
tactical870 said:
Google Hillfolk Musket Supplies and speak to Becky Middleton. Hardwood ramrod blanks are $3.50 each and the synthetic rods are under $30. I just ordered 4 rods from her. Unbelievable service. :)
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T 870 beat me to it...Hillfolk musket supplies. Located in beautiful Senlac SASK. Becky is my go to person for all my BP Needs. I have built a few rods over the years out of synthetic. You can buy all the brass ends from her also. They come in a package with brass cross pins. Cut the rod to length,chamfer both ends so the brass fits snugly over,drill for cross pins and epoxy the whole shebang together...The rods are more calibre consistent so they fit the ferrules nice and snug once built.An tacky pointed out to google,but they don't have a site so here is her phoneski number...1-306-228-2949..
 
Thanks for all the great tips and advice, I do have a metal lathe and some brass hex stock so making tips/ rods will not be an issue. What seems like such a simple task can often have some subtle details (ie crosspinning of the ends) which could make the difference between a simple job and a royal pain in the butt if a tip pulled off in use. I'm glad I asked and will post the results once I decide which way I go. Thanks guys
 
icehunter121 said:
T 870 beat me to it...Hillfolk musket supplies. Located in beautiful Senlac SASK. Becky is my go to person for all my BP Needs. I have built a few rods over the years out of synthetic. You can buy all the brass ends from her also. They come in a package with brass cross pins. Cut the rod to length,chamfer both ends so the brass fits snugly over,drill for cross pins and epoxy the whole shebang together...The rods are more calibre consistent so they fit the ferrules nice and snug once built.An tacky pointed out to google,but they don't have a site so here is her phoneski number...1-306-228-2949..
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Yup.

Treso tips from Doug and Becky, a 3/8" fibreglass fence pole (for electric fencing) from COOP and built as described above. No danger of this thing ever pulling apart.
 
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